An Inn Where You'll Taste Local Food Kawatokoya

I’m sorry I didn’t make it this year. I still think about the delicious meals and all the kind people I met. The inn is affordable and felt good for both my wallet and my soul. The servings are generous, the rice is tasty, and I’ve heard the Japanese food is good too. You have to choose it when booking, but I’d give it a try. I’d happily come back for a rest, though I think it would take a week to try everything. The lamb and local chicken courses were so good I ordered more. Plum wine went perfectly with the food, and the draft beer was delicious too, maybe a little too easy to drink. It’s the sort of place where I’d want to have drinks with close friends. Nearby hot springs were amazing as well. A Shugendo practitioner showed me how to enter, and I was amazed by the effects. My fatigue eased and I felt revived. I’d like to try it again, maybe for a week to see what changes. If you’re worn out, come experience it and you’ll feel refreshed. The mountain itself is appealing, and on the way back I was given water said to have amazing health benefits. I’ll drink it before heading home, good for people and cats alike. That was the best part of staying here.

The staff gave me plenty of helpful advice when I mentioned at check-in that I planned to climb Mt. Daisen, so even a first-timer should feel reassured. I stayed the night before the climb. The room was simple and retro, but had what I needed for a night before hiking or skiing. Since I arrived late, I chose the breakfast plan with explosive rice balls. The tasty rice balls wrapped in bamboo bark gave me a good boost before climbing. Next time I’d like to book dinner too and try local ingredients.

The innkeepers, young and old, brought heavy machinery to help when our Hiace kept getting stuck in the deep snow outside. The road was covered with snow that wouldn’t pack down, and skiing had already been difficult in the heavy snowfall. The neighbors pitched in too, and we were very grateful. The place has an old Japanese style, with a Sengoku-era warlord’s family crest on a noren at the entrance. Classical jazz was playing inside, which somehow made it feel relaxing. That kind of service made it clear to me how this inn has stayed in business for so long.

The owner was kind and let me leave my car, gear, and luggage at the inn while I went skiing on the morning I arrived. I stayed one night without meals. The room was clean, and its four-and-a-half tatami mats were just right for one person. There’s a shared bath, and the nearby hot springs are another option for a day visit.